SOUTH AFRICA: Greater Kruger Elephant & Buffalo Hunt With DERIAN KOEKEMOER SAFARIS

[BJH65]

Greater Kruger Region – My Hunt with @DERIAN KOEKEMOER SAFARIS

I booked a combination hunt for a 25 lb bull elephant (non-exportable) and an exportable management 36” Cape buffalo in the Greater Kruger region for October 14–22, 2025. The hunt was arranged with Derian Koekemoer Safaris. It was a short-notice booking, finalized only about four months earlier. Derian also works with a videographer, Kristen, who charges very reasonable rates—so why not have the hunt filmed? I hired her for the videography.

I had previously hunted with Derian the year before for buffalo cow, kudu, impala, and warthog. Not only do I trust him, but I’ve also become friends with him and his wonderful wife, Johlene, who manages the business side of the operation.

Equipment

For this hunt, I used my custom Brno ZKK-602 .458 Lott mounted with a Nikon Monarch African 1-4 African scope and Warne QD rings. I brought 35 rounds of Federal 500-grain Woodleigh Hydro Solids for elephant, and 20 rounds of Pendleton Custom 500-grain North Fork soft points for buffalo. Both loads hit nearly the same POI, with about a 1 inch variation sighted in dead on at 50 yards. The 55 rounds total, with the Pelican ammo case, were well under the 11 lb restriction. I transported the rifle in a bright orange, old two-gun Pelican 1750 case marked “Browning” that I’ve had since the mid-’90s—still as rugged as ever.

I used a Simply Rugged African leather cartridge belt with elastic loops holding 10 rounds, plus a six-round cotton ammo slide holder from Trader Keith’s. That gave me 22 rounds total, including five in the rifle magazine plus 1 in the chamber. A custom knife rounded out the belt.

I carried a small, quiet cloth backpack I’ve had for years with extra water, a medical kit, power bars, and electrolyte powder. After a bad reaction to a wasp sting a few months back, the VA confirmed I’m allergic to bees and wasps, so I carried prescribed EpiPens as well.

Travel

I used Shawn Kennedy with Gracy Travel for all arrangements, which went perfectly, including their $300 VIP gun permit service handled by Bruce in Johannesburg—worth every penny. I flew Delta Comfort Plus from Atlanta via Oklahoma City. Other than a two-hour delay in Atlanta, everything went smoothly, and I slept most of the way. I had placed Apple AirTags in my gun and ammo cases for peace of mind.

Upon arrival in Johannesburg, I met with a Gracy Travel representative waiting with a sign, cleared customs and while waiting for my checked luggage Bruce called me and told me his assistant Michael would take care of me who was filling in for him and proved just as friendly and capable and he had my signed SAPS 520. All told, collecting my rifle, luggage, clearing customs and firearms—all done in about an hour. I stayed overnight at the City Lodge.

The next morning, after a great breakfast buffet at the City Lodge which opens at 4am for breakfast, Michael met me again to check in for my Airlink flight to Hoedspruit. I left at 10 a.m. and arrived at 11 a.m. I collected my gear and met Derian. From there, we drove to the lodge.

The Hunt

This hunt represented a lifelong dream—to hunt elephant. Adding a Cape buffalo made it even better. The elephants are currently non-exportable, but the ivory is registered in your name for potential future exportation. Even if that never happens, the experience itself was more than enough.

The reserve covered roughly 100,000 acres of unfenced, free-range territory along the park border. Several reserves also have plains game on quota in addition to elephant and buffalo.

We stayed at the Derian Koekemoer Safaris main lodge on the BuffaloLand Safari concession, just 20 minutes from Eastgate Airport and 30 min to the Greater Kruger camp. The lodge was comfortable and well-appointed. We could hear lions roaring every night from the lodge during the evening. In addition to the BuffaloLand concession, Derian conducts hunts on several other nearby concessions in addition to the Greater Kruger area, including a Big Five Game Reserve. He plans to open a dedicated camp directly inside the open area in the future.

Upon arrival at our hunting destination in the Greater Kruger, we met the warden who would accompany us during the hunt. There’s now a government requirement that all elephant hunters must shoot a test target to verify accuracy for a brain shot. My shot at 40 yards off shooting sticks landed about 1 inch left of center—good enough. The target is kept with the warden’s official paperwork.

The warden functions much like a ranger, responsible for ensuring proper selection of animals and coordination with tourist areas to insure we have the area to hunt by ourselves without any interference from tourist game drives, etc. The warden knew the area and animal patterns intimately—this is his backyard.

I would be hunting a 25–30-year-old bull elephant with 25 lb tusks and a 36-inch Cape buffalo (only males may be hunted within the APNR). There’s about a 10% plus or minus margin for error allowed regarding size or weight estimation. If an animal exceeds size, ivory weight and age restriction the warden and PH are fined, not the hunter. Fortunately, they’re excellent judges of age and size and/or ivory weight.

A broken horn buffalo bull can be taken but interestingly enough, you cannot shoot a scrum cap bull which I specifically asked about. Anyhow, the hunter needn’t worry about judging the appropriate age and size of the elephant and buffalo —that’s what the PH and warden are paid to do.

The region suffers from extensive habitat damage due to an elephant population of around 35,000—far above carrying capacity. All meat from the hunt goes to local communities and the Predator Rehab Facility.

You’re required to shoot a test target before the hunt. Brain shots only on elephant.

TBC

 

[BJH65]

Summary of the hunt and highlights

Impala Hunt

Driving along the hard-packed dirt roads, then getting out and following tracks in mid-October heat—temperatures in the mid to high 90s—it was essential to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and use a good hat. I switched from my baseball cap to a boonie hat I kept inside my backpack when it got really hot and the sun was beating down. I added electrolyte powder to my water too.

We saw some mature bull buffalo, including a very old white-faced dagga boy not far from a herd of 50–60 buffalo. He would’ve been an excellent bull but was too close to the big herd for a stalk—too many eyes—so we decided to check an area for elephant first.

As we continued driving, the terrain shifted from flat and open to rocky, higher elevation. We scouted on foot for elephant but saw none. While walking back to the bakkie, we spotted a herd of impala, and I was asked if I’d like to take a ram for camp meat. “Sure!” I swapped my .458 Lott for a .308, and we went after the impala.

We stalked them for a couple hundred yards. A nice ram was standing about 120 yards away. Up went the sticks—I fired the suppressed .308, and the ram went down instantly.

While dragging the impala back toward the road, the warden suddenly spotted an elephant moving silently through the trees—a lone bull with 20–25 lb tusks, walking with purpose, likely headed for water.

We got within 50 yards while the warden discussed brain shot placement and elephant behavior. The bull was aware of us but not alarmed, still moving steadily. He appeared too young—maybe 18 years old—with tusks around 25 lbs but too young for my permit based on age.

Elephant Charge

We continued following from 50–60 yards when the bull suddenly stopped, turned, and charged! He closed the distance rapidly, clearly agitated. The warden and Derian held their ground—Derian with his .458 Lott, the warden with a .458 Win Mag—the warden shouting. The bull stopped abruptly after the yelling. We slowly backed away, and he charged again. The warden yelled once more, and the bull stopped just at 25 -30 yards away. In all he charged at us three times! Unfortunately, the video just captured one as he broke it off.

According to the warden, this was a younger, hot headed bull—hot, thirsty, and fed up with our presence. Holding our ground and yelling likely made him reconsider following through with the charge. His ears were out, not folded back, suggesting a bluff—but it was still close enough. The warden said he had picked a marker about 14 yards away; if the elephant crossed it, both he and Derian would have fired in self-defense. The bull came within just 4–5 yards of that marker.

Once the bull backed off, we returned to recover the impala. One feels very small and insignificant when an elephant charges that close and you’re on foot in their domain. Truly awesome animals, just massive yet so soft footed not making a sound when moving and the distance they can cover in a short period of time! I feel that if if we hadn’t held our ground, the warden hadn’t confronted and yelled at him, he certainly would have stomped us into the ground! Kind of reminded me of being around grizzly, never turn your back and run ever, hold your ground and slowly back away.

 

[BJH65]

Elephant Hunt

On one outing, we walked to a ravine overlooking a small river lined with thick papyrus—seven bull elephants were drinking below us. One bull, the largest and oldest, with a broken tusk, matched the criteria for my license.

We were about 50 feet above them. I hadn’t practiced shooting downhill for a brain shot—something I hadn’t considered but 50 feet shouldn’t make a difference. We closed the distance to about 40 yards, still behind cover. I could have attempted a difficult angle shot through the zygomatic arch, but I wasn’t comfortable with it, so we waited.

When the bull finished drinking, he moved clear of the others and stood broadside, slightly angled—perfect. Derian calmly whispered instructions as I settled the crosshairs just at the bottom of the ear hole. It was now or never. I squeezed the trigger.

The bull dropped instantly. We approached, and I fired two more shots into his neck and head for insurance. When we went up to the bull, probably gallons of blood was pouring from the backup brain and neck shots but it seemed like there was movement and gurgling so I put a final frontal brain shot to just make sure. It was probably just his nerves reacting after death but we wanted to be 100% sure. Standing beside him, I was overwhelmed by his sheer size and majesty. Every shot had passed through—Derian could see the bullet impacts in the dirt behind him—except for the final frontal shot. The Federal 500-grain Woodleigh Hydro Solids performed perfectly.

The bull was estimated to be at least 30 years old or older, with 25 lb ivory and a broken right tusk—perfect and within spec for my permit.

 

[BRICKBURN]

You certainly can't outrun them, so....
You certainly learn how small you are when they get close.

Keep the tale coming.

 

[cwickgo9]

I dont know how you could have centered that shot any better. Good show!

 

[BJH65]

Later that evening we had a nice dinner BBQ steaks.

Because the elephant was non exportable, Derian and his wife Johlene were thoughtful enough to give me a gift of a small elephant skull replica.

Next up the buffalo hunt.

 

[BJH65]

I dont know how you could have centered that shot any better. Good show!

Thanks, I was so relieved he dropped to the shot after hearing about some of the wounded elephant stories at Kruger.

 

[BJH65]

You certainly can't outrun them, so....
You certainly learn how small you are when they get close.

Keep the tale coming.

It’s amazing how fast and silent they are for their size. Having only been around wild elephant in a safari vehicle previously, this gave me a whole new perspective being on foot!

 

[BryceM]

My impressions from the Caprivi are that they are smart, silent, invisible, and glide along effortlessly at 10 mph. Well done. Great report.

 

[BJH65]

Buffalo

We saw hundreds of buffalo during the hunt. One massive herd—perhaps 300 strong—stretched across the plains heading to water. It was an incredible sight.

Although there were plenty of animals, locating a mature old bull within spec and getting a clear shot proved more difficult than expected. There were some absolutely humongous bulls by the way, some well past 36” well into the 40’s!

View attachment 731712

Oh, before I forget, Derian’s nice wood shooting sticks got broken after the elephant hunt so I used his backup Primos Trigger sticks, exactly what I practiced with at home so all to the good.

Each time we found a promising bull within spec, something went wrong—branches in the way, other buffalo blocking the shot, an alert cow spotting us, or a shift in wind. We wanted an old dagga boy, not just any bull. Also, that large herd moved on. While there are large numbers of buffalo in this region, they do move around, here today and gone tomorrow.

 

[BJH65]

During the buffalo hunt, videographer Kristen took a bad fall and injured her knee. She got treated by a nurse with antibiotics and pain meds but refused to rest - she wanted to be part of the hunt, so she limped along doing her best to video our hunt. She toughed it out like a real trooper. In addition to being a videographer, she’s also a licensed PH and exceptional at spotting game. An impressive young lady. I liked her tenacity, no quit in her.

After several days of hard hunting, we hunted some different areas in the region still unsuccessful, finding some really nice bulls but just a year too young or a variety of circumstances prevented us from a successful stalk, then we located a tremendous old dagga boy within spec who was with a small herd bedded down. I got on the sticks, hoping maybe he might rise and I may have a shot but the minutes ticked by then fatigue sets in. There’s a damn cow who keeps looking at us and finally the gigs up and they all jump up! No shot is presented, too many buffalo in the way and then they are gone!

We spotted a male leopard from about 30 yards away while driving along in the Land Cruiser and he just seemed oblivious to us like he could care less and then later we drove by him at about 10 yards away! I kept my hands on my rifle instead of trying to snap a photo with my IPhone but honestly he could’ve been on us in a fraction of a second so not sure what the hell I could’ve done with my rifle and an empty chamber to boot!

Because they’ve been protected in South Africa for some time, apparently this behavior is not uncommon, zero fear of us and thankfully zero interest as well! Seeing this leopard rounded out seeing the Big Five, something I hadn’t expected to see including seeing both white and black rhino.

 

[deewayne2003]

@BJH65

Well done sir!...... Told you those Hydros would be the ticket on elephant

Waiting on the buff hunt, I got my deposit in for Zim 27

 

[BJH65]

So back at it again the following morning, persevere to overcome. Maybe we’ll locate that old Dagga boy again? Our trackers are checking for tracks, seeing if that old bull and the herd moved off? For the next few hours nothing, not one buffalo seen, but the tracks indicate they are in the area, in the thick stuff, too dense to track and get a shot. Oh well, we keep at it.

Tracker Geraldo getting a better vantage point.

Then when you least expect it, it happens! We came around a bend near the river—and there they are: three bulls, one clearly very old with deep, dropping horns, the same old Dagga boy we saw the other day with the small herd but this time with just two other bulls! In fact, we’d seen those two other bulls deep in the reeds the other day but not the old Dagga boy who was probably hidden. He’s clearly within spec too! We were able to carefully close the distance to within 35 yards. I quickly got set up on the sticks. Derian whispered, “The bull on the far left—on the shoulder!” They weren’t going to hang around. I placed the crosshairs on the shoulder and squeezed the trigger.

The 500-grain North Fork soft point struck perfectly. All three bulls bolted into the tall reeds along the river. We waited, then heard the death bellow.

Derian said, “I can see your bull—he’s down, but the other two are still there.” They stood close by, partially hidden in the seven-foot-tall reeds, refusing to leave. Derian instructed me to stay back while I covered them from a higher vantage point, watching for a charge from the two other bulls. The trackers, Geraldo and Simone, threw branches and rocks, yelling to drive the other bulls off. It seemed they didn’t want to abandon their old comrade in the high reeds.

Finally, after several minutes, they moved off. We approached cautiously. The old bull was stone dead—he had deep-dropping horns, a white-faced dagga boy. The bullet had entered the left shoulder and didn’t exit, breaking both shoulders and causing massive internal damage. He went about 25 yards before expiring.

It was an emotional moment—taking a great buffalo after an elephant. I felt profoundly grateful to be there, living something I’d dreamed of all my life.

Videographer Kristen. I thought she did an amazing job.

Trackers Simone and Geraldo clearing a path in the tall reeds.

 

[BJH65]

@BJH65

Well done sir!...... Told you those Hydros would be the ticket on elephant

Waiting on the buff hunt, I got my deposit in for Zim 27

Thanks! I definitely appreciated the advice and went the Hydros! Good for you, it’ll be awesome!

 

[BJH65]

We had extra days, so a tour of Kruger Park and another day of hunting impala rounded out the trip. On my final night, Derian’s wife, Johlene, set up a beautiful bush dinner for me along the Klaserie River—a perfect ending to a fantastic hunt.

Derian’s wife Johlene, the backbone of the operation. A gracious and wonderful hostess!

 

[BJH65]

The Return

The return trip back was uneventful, using Gracy Travel and their man Bruce was there to get me checked in Johannesburg for my flight back, always trouble free. I used the Mobile Passport Control App (MPC) on my iPhone to expedite customs once in Atlanta. I was pleasantly surprised by how efficient everything was back in Atlanta International. I cleared immigration, collected and rechecked my rifle and luggage, then cleared customs—all in under 45 minutes. I don’t even have Global Entry. It was like a well-oiled machine in Atlanta, something I hadn’t experienced previously. Hopefully, that’s the new norm!

Final Thoughts on the Greater Kruger Region

At nearly five million acres, the Greater Kruger region is immense. The 100,000-acre reserve we hunted barely scratched the surface. It boasts incredibly diverse habitat, Mopane woodlands, grassy savannas, lush riverine forests and rocky outcrops, some of which I got a chance to see.

I don’t believe there’s significant hunting pressure from humans, but predators like lion, leopard, hyena, and wild dog keep the animals wary. You must have the wind in your favor during a stalk.

Did I get the same feeling of complete remoteness like we felt in Mozambique 30 years ago? No, of course not. You occasionally encounter railroad tracks, boundary fences from adjacent reserves and power lines. It doesn’t feel completely wild—but it didn’t diminish the experience at all. How truly remote are we these days, anyway? In one respect it was remote, there was no one else but our own hunting group, no tourists, no native villagers, nobody but us.

The heat in mid-October made it challenging, but this isn’t a 10–20-mile-a-day tracking hunt. The old adage that you “kill an elephant with your feet” doesn’t really apply here. The warden’s knowledge of elephant behavior and habitat was instrumental to our success. A typical day involved driving to areas elephants frequent to feed and water, then walking one to three miles to check for fresh sign and any bulls that fit the permit criteria.

Elephant charge! Something I won’t forget!

No tuskless or female animals are hunted on these reserves. There are various trophy categories by ivory size, but unless you live in a non-CITES country, the elephant are non-exportable presently, so it makes sense to only hunt a 25–30 lb bull—the lowest trophy fee.

Due to past incidents with wounded elephant in the Greater Kruger, a brain shot is required—either side or frontal. You must also pass a test shot before the hunt. I told Derian that if I missed the brain, he should join in immediately with his .458 Lott. Fortunately, my side brain shot was good, and the bull dropped instantly. Several follow-up shots were added for insurance—cartridges are cheap. Now that I’ve had time to think about it, I believe the side brain shot was an instant kill, he never moved an inch from where he fell but there’s nothing wrong with making sure, hence the additional insurance shots.

Some hunters see the non-exportable ivory as a dealbreaker. Hopefully, that changes soon, but at this stage in my life, I’m more of a hunter than a collector. I value the experience far more. I may have reproduction tusks made in the meantime.

Regarding buffalo—I’ve never seen so many! I counted roughly 500 total; one herd alone was over 300. They’re exportable, with three classes: 36” and under, 38” then 40”+ as the top trophy class, each about $2,000 more than the last.

While the heat definitely took a toll on one’s body during our hunt in mid to late October, during cooler months I think it would be much more manageable —something many hunters may want to take advantage of.

Seeing all of the Big Five was incredible. In fact, I saw the “Dangerous Seven” (hippo and crocodile too), plus hyena. Maybe there should be a “Dangerous Eight” to include them.

This was a wonderful hunt for anyone interested in non-exportable elephant, exportable buffalo, or both. I saw many 25–30 lb bull elephants and one around 50 lbs. I was told there are 100 lb bulls, but they don’t leave the park. Those seeking a 25-30 lb bull elephant should have an excellent chance of success.

I would absolutely return to hunt here again for both species. The cost was very reasonable for such an experience.

From my last two African trips—Limpopo and Greater Kruger—I’ve learned one small but important thing: bring a Leatherman-type tool. I’ve had to pull several large thorns from my boot soles, including one over an inch long that went through and stuck into my foot. A Leatherman tool made that job easy.

I really enjoy hunting with Derian. He’s honest, ethical, and dedicated to putting clients on their quarry. He grew up on a cattle ranch in Zimbabwe until his family lost everything during the Mugabe years and relocated to South Africa to start over. Don’t be fooled by his size—he’s a former professional rugby player, strong as an ox, and can go anywhere in the bush. It’s a true family operation, with his wife Johlene managing the business and raising their two boys.

If you want to hunt the Greater Kruger for non-exportable elephant and/or exportable buffalo, or pursue plains game and Big Five species on nearby concessions—including the Buffalo Land concession for buffalo, hippo, crocodile, and hyena—I highly recommend Derian Koekemoer Safaris.

I’m already dreaming of going back. Africa gets in your blood.